1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to golf stance devices generally and more particularly to devices designed to assure a golfer's correct and consistent alignment in relation to the golf ball and his target.
2. Discussion of Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,257,608 to C. R. Frank describes a golfer's setup device consisting of a lateral scale strip with two short foot-aligning strips, one being pivotally secured near one end of the lateral strip and the other being slidably and pivotally mounted to slide along and pivot with respect to the lateral strip. A perpendicular scale strip is mounted to the lateral scale strip to allow non-pivotal sliding both laterally and perpendicularly. An additional club-swing aligning strip can be pivotally mounted to one end of the perpendicular scale strip, and arrows on the pivotal foot-aligning strips indicate the direction in which the golfer's shoes are to point.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,084 to C. L. and G. L. Reece describes a golf stance machine consisting of a longitudinally extending mainframe composed of a rectangular tubular member. One foot stance indicator is permenantly fixed obliquely to the main frame for positioning of the forward foot. A second adjustable foot-placement indicator slides longitudinally along the main frame. Additional graduated bars indicating forward and backward swing lines are mounted parallel to the main frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,538,815 to R. G. Poirier describes a golfer's stance guage comprising a longitudinally adjustable foot positioning frame which is adapted to be secured to the ground. A longitudinally adjustable ball marker member is pivotally connected to the foot positioning frame along the axis of the intended ball position for the driver club. A second ball marker member is mounted slidably along the first ball-marker member, extending outward therefrom at right angles. Markings are recorded on these members for locating proper ball position relative to foot position for different clubs. These markings must be applied by the golfer following a trial-and-error calibration technique.
Other known patents of interest include U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,718.
It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved golf stance training tool.
It is another object of this invention to provide a golf stance training tool having simplified markings corresponding to the correct adjustment position for each club and requiring no calculations or calibrations by the golfer prior to, or during, use, other than determining the golfer's shoulder width.
It is still another object of this invention to provide a golf stance training tool having a non-adjustable base plate with foot restrictors and markings for placement of feet in relation to shoulder width.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a golf stance training tool having a target arrow fixed permanently perpendicular to the club selection guage and, therefore, parallel to the base plate to insure that the golfer's feet are consistently parallel to the target line.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a golf stance training tool having ball placement indicators arranged in such a way as to direct correct ball placement without hindering clubhead path nor requiring movement of any part of the device before swinging the club.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a golf stance training tool which, due to its simplicity of adjustment and mobility, can be used simultaneously by both right and left handed golfers, golfers using different clubs, golfers of various sizes, and which can be easily relocated to a fresh piece of turf after each swing.